Knowledge goes a long way with antiques

When it comes to antiques, one might say it’s a case of love or money.

The two biggest reasons people buy antiques are to furnish a home or for resale, says Christian Chaffee, owner of Chaffee Estate Services, who has 45 years’ experience in the antique and collectibles field.

Whichever area a person is interested in, the key to buying the best items is knowledge. “With a little knowledge, and a bit of effort, you can stumble up on a treasure,” Chaffee says.

For homes, a person might be trying to create a cohesive look of a particular style or period, Spanish Revival or Craftsman, for instance. Another example, Chaffee says, would be a homeowner wanting to decorate a kitchen in “primitives,” such as wooden-handled wares, washboards or rug beaters. Colors also play a role in the home’s character. Bauer pottery is known for its bright oranges, yellow and blues.

When outfitting the home, Chaffee suggests planning for the items you want, that way you avoid buying a mishmash of uncoordinated antiques.

Chaffee says stores are good places to find pieces to fill in the blanks, but cautions that can be expensive. eBay also can help with a targeted search.

His favorite way to find items, though, is attending public estate and garage and yard sales, as well as outdoor swap meets. He says these are some of the best places to discover real finds at low prices. “You can buy with no guilt,” he says.

Many times owners want to liquidate fast. They want the house empty, and their unwanted items moved out, over a single weekend.

“This happens all the time,” Chaffee says. This is where the old saying “the early bird gets the worm” holds true.

People can make money finding the right piece that was unnoticed because many items are obscured and not recognized as valuable. The variety and of the number of items offered at a sale can be overwhelming when the seller’s objective is to sell things fast.

When looking to resale, Chaffee recommends avoiding mass-produced items, such as Beanie Babies, Cabbage Patch Kids and manufactured collectibles advertised on TV. These items have flooded the market and can be easily mass produced again.

Characteristics to focus on are rarity — they can’t be produced or at least not easily – and unique items of beauty and high quality.

Although having some kind of certificate of authenticity seems like a good idea, Chaffee has found that items that come with these are usually associated with mass-produced works that truly have little real value, such as commemorative “collectors” plates.

He warns, however, that every field is susceptible to fakes, and the top defense is knowledge. “The best investments you can make are in specialized books on what you collect,” he says.

Whether you’re interested in outfitting a home or selling for profit, he recommends finding an area you like and learning more about it, then do what it takes to be first, to make the most of your efforts. It’s a good idea to involve the whole family, as everyone will learn about things they like, and how to succeed in business. Most importantly, you need to have fun with it, he says.

Here are some terms you’ll come across and their definitions provided by Chaffee.

Antique: General terminology for items that are about 100 years old or older.